Whither dungeon?

Many settings are content with including dungeons infested with monsters without explaining where the dungeons came from or how they continue to exist. Here I present some brief options as to the ecology of dungeons, including both gygaxian naturalism and mythic underworlds.



Why do dungeons exist?

• The dungeon was built by a wizard to lure monsters for use as spell components (cf. Adventurer Conqueror King System).
• The dungeon itself is a living entity a la Dungeon Keeper or Tower of Druaga (cf. 13th Age).
• The dungeon is the ruins of an ancient empire infested with squatters.
• The dungeon is the gigantic phylactery of a lich.
• The dungeon was created as a prison for archangels and demon lords (cf. Malazan's azath).

Where do dungeons come from, how are they built and structured?

• The dungeon either originates from or is itself a pocket universe, larger on the inside.
• The dungeon is a gigantic living creature, composed of flesh or stone or folded space.
• The dungeon is the ancient ruins of a long dead empire.
• The dungeon was recently built, possibly by the party wizard.

What is the dungeon used for?

• A wizard uses the dungeon to lure monsters for spell components. For some reason monsters are attracted to dungeons.
• The dungeon interior is a trap to lure adventurers for it to eat. Unless they can find and kill the dungeon keeper or dungeon heart before it does.
• Rich nobles pay the dungeon master for an entertaining dungeon crawl, which is actually fake as the nobles are 0th-level and would never survive in a real dungeon.
• The dungeon imprisons and may be powered by an archangel or demon lord. Feel free to mix this with other options.
• The dungeon is claimed by squatters, ugly dim-witted humanoids the adventurers must kill and loot.
• The dungeon is a lich's phylactery, created extra large and infested with dangerous monsters to make it nigh impossible to destroy.
• The dungeon is harvested as an infinite source of money and other materials by guilds of adventurers. There may even be shanty towns or whole cities built around the dungeon. Any adventurers who want to kill the dungeon heart are burned at the stake.